‘Significant’ spike expected in REF submissions

Changes to REF rules will drive a steep jump in staff submissions, according to survey

Universities are set to submit almost 50 per cent more staff members to the Research Excellence Framework 2021 than they did to the 2014 exercise.

A survey of higher education institutions taking part in REF 2021—the results of which will determine the destination for significant amounts of research funding—suggests that universities will put forward more than 74,500 full-time-equivalent staff before the November deadline this year. For the 2014 REF, details on the work of some 52,077 staff were submitted.